Bach as museum piece, background music, or soporofic

[Jackson K. Eskew]

I'm convinced that the enjoyment of listening to classical music
(loosely speaking) is curtailed for many people because they listen to
each piece as if it were a museum piece, as if it were no longer alive,
no longer relevant to our time etc. This annoys me.

Many more people listen to it as background music or as a soporific. If
a piece was not written as background music or as a soporific, this
infuriates me.

What say you?

[j***@yahoo.com]

Post by Jackson K. Eskew
I'm convinced that the enjoyment of listening to classical music
(loosely speaking) is curtailed for many people because they listen to
each piece as if it were a museum piece, as if it were no longer alive,
no longer relevant to our time etc. This annoys me.
Many more people listen to it as background music or as a soporific. If
a piece was not written as background music or as a soporific, this
infuriates me.
What say you?

Some of Bach's chamber music could be used as a soporific. Also, the
Goldberg variations were supposely written for the insomniac Count
Kayserling. However, I can't imagine Bach as background music. There
is just too much going on. He requires active listening.

As far as museum pieces, people still enjoy looking at the Mona Lisa.
There are certain things that are timeless classics. You should be
pleased that Bach fits this category.

Jimmy Boy

[geoff firman]

Post by j***@yahoo.com
Some of Bach's chamber music could be used as a soporific. Also, the
Goldberg variations were supposely written for the insomniac Count
Kayserling.

I always laugh when the Kayserling story comes to mind. If there
has ever been a composition which keeps me wide awake and
actively involved in listening, it is the Goldbergs. Just the other
night, I put Roslyn Tureck's recording of the GV's in the CD player
to listen to while I was reading a book. Forget about it. It took me
almost an hour to get through three paragraphs with any comprehension
or retention.

That music demands alert and involved listening.

[Ioannis]

"geoff firman" <***@earthlinkNOSPAM.com> wrote in message news:gf-***@news.west.earthlink.net...
[snip]

Post by geoff firman
I always laugh when the Kayserling story comes to mind. If there
has ever been a composition which keeps me wide awake and
actively involved in listening, it is the Goldbergs. Just the other
night, I put Roslyn Tureck's recording of the GV's in the CD player
to listen to while I was reading a book. Forget about it. It took me
almost an hour to get through three paragraphs with any comprehension
or retention.
That music demands alert and involved listening.

Strange that you should say that.

I have simply loaded all my CD's on my laptop, so I start Windows Media Player
and it plays on and on, until I cannot stand it anymore because of tiredness.

This way, I've spent the better part of the last two years writing mathematics
papers while listening to the music of the Master in the background.

It's like "translating" his music into new theorems.

[geoff firman]

Post by Ioannis
I have simply loaded all my CD's on my laptop, so I start Windows Media Player
and it plays on and on, until I cannot stand it anymore because of tiredness.
This way, I've spent the better part of the last two years writing mathematics
papers while listening to the music of the Master in the background.

Just out of curiosity - are you a musician as well? I'm a professional
pianist, and cannot imagine getting any serious mental work done
with great music playing at the same time.

Not being judgmental here - only wondering about a potentially
interesting phenomenon.

[Ioannis]

"geoff firman" <***@earthlinkNOSPAM.com> wrote in message news:gf-***@news.west.earthlink.net...
[snip]

Post by geoff firman
Just out of curiosity - are you a musician as well?
I'm a professional
pianist, and cannot imagine getting any serious mental work done
with great music playing at the same time.
Not being judgmental here - only wondering about a potentially
interesting phenomenon.

Sorry, I don't like to talk much about myself. You are welcome to browse
around my webpages and find out more about me if you so desire.

[ken]

Isn't it wonderful how different our reactions are?
I used to use music as background to whatever I was doing but now I
find I need to concentrate on it ( I agree with the comment on Tureck
GBs).
Sometimes I wonder if I sholud spend the rest of my life (20 years or
so, if I am realistic) listening to Bach. The Cantatas contain enough
for many years of discovery and pleasure
But then I must find some time for the Beethoven Quartets, and
bluegrass.
So, keep searching and discover what gives you joy.